After Sierra High Upgrade FaceTime camera Freeze...how do I fix the issue

27" Mid-2011 iMac

FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in) freezes immediately in FaceTime or PhotoBooth or any camera using app.

After 3.5 hours on/off/on/off/on/off with Apple Support (via Chat), I finally fixed this issue and it was relatively simple.

What fixed my issue: Boot in safe mode.

Restart normal.

That's it.

Here are the steps they had me take up to this point:

1. Create another admin User to ensure the problem spanned all users, not just mine. (it spanned all users)

2a. Reset SMC. (iMac: Shut Down, unplug power cord for 15 seconds, replug)

AND:

2b. Reset NVRAM. (iMac: Power up while holding Command & Option & "P" & "R") This will sound like it booted twice, but won't boot fully. Then restart

3. Safe Mode. Restart while holding SHIFT. Once in safe mode, check FaceTime or PhotoBooth or any app that uses the camera (should work, but choppy).

Here are the steps I did not get to but were next if Safe Mode did not fix it:

4. Apple Hardware Test: (Restart while holding "D", let it run its test, then IF there is a hardware problem, take it to an Apple Store)

5. Reinstall macOS High Sierra from the App Store.

Hope this helps fix others...

Did you reboot into safe mode after the two resets? When you do so, open FaceTime and Photo booth to make sure they are working them reboot normally.

John

I ended up reinstalling macOS Sierra. My camera freeze problem went away. Seems to be associated with High Sierra at least on my 2011 model iMac. Unfortunate.

I restored from a time machine backup of before I installed high sierra. I’m not sure how to get the actual Sierra installation files from Apple though.

Looks like update to 10.13.2 fixes the issue guys

10.13.2 fixed this for me

I have a MacBook pro early 2011. I found covering the built in camera could freeze it on demand. I also found swiping to a second desktop and then back resets the camera and unfreezes the built in camera in FaceTime. Not a long term fix but doesn't interrupt the call too much. I tried the resets and the safe mode didn't work. I tried the sudo killall VDCassistant also didn't work which I used a while back after an upgrade the built in camera just stopped working.

Debaillie doesn't give us a lot of details but i may have the same issue.

I have MBP with touch display connected to Thunderbolt display (via T2 to T3 adapter.)

The issue seems very intermittent - if i open FaceTime the camera could freeze within a few seconds or a few minutes then i have to close FT or i can change the screen resolution of the monitor, and the camera comes back to the live image.

I have tried many things to diagnose and i THINK i can recreate the issue...

If i open FaceTime then put my thumb on the display but underneath the camera and sensor and slowly move it to cover the camera and sensor and continue my upwards motion, it looks like i can get the camera to freeze.

I have looked in the logs but then it all becomes non comprehendable by me!

I restored Mac OS Sierra and I have had no problems with my camera locking up.

I am also having this issue with the FaceTime camera in my Apple Thunderbolt Display since upgrading to High Sierra. Oddly, when my video freezes I can temporarily fix it by switching to the inbuilt camera on my MacBook and then back again - but it freezes again later which is infuriating.

You are lucky. After upgrading to High Sierra neither Photobooth nor Facetime turn on camera and FT says no video. My iMac detects the built-in camera, as does Photobooth, but just a black rectangle. Curiously FT preferences are grayed out. Seems to me my problem and yours must have something to do with OS. I've reset NVRAM and SMC and restarted and shut down and powered up repeatedly to no avail. Apple should address this.

I too am having the same problem with camera freezing using any app that accesses the camera. The camera freezes after about 2 seconds of use I never had an issue with built-in isight camera with facetime or skype until updating to OSX High Sierra. I have an early 2011 17" MacBook Pro.

I have the same issue. I was really hoping that the 10.13.1 upgrade to High Sierra would help the issue, but no luck.

The camera on the connected MacBook Pro works fine, it's just the one on the Thunderbolt Display that freezes after a few seconds of use.

Update....I still have this problem.

The safe-mode fix was only temporary. A few days later the problem was back.

I reinstalled High Sierra last night and the problem still exists today with the camera freezing.

I'm going to reinstall Sierra since that was the last time the camera worked properly.

I have this exact problem...and the cam has worked perfectly for webinars in the past few years, but when trying to use Camtasia and iMovie I get random freezes, sometimes in a few seconds and sometimes after a couple of minutes. It is extremely frustrating!